TBOX12, in December 2007, was
a big year for TBOX, building on the success of TBOX11 and taking to heart
some of the issues that made TBOX11 a MADHOUSE!!! – this was the first year we
had a fully “split route” and the first year we locked in with the Cubby Bear
to be both the beginning and end of the crawl. It was also the first year of
the Elaborate Onstage Opening Ceremonies and Presentation of the #1’s, the
first year of the Royal Court License Plates (replacing the insanely
cumbersome cardboard glitter cutout numbers), and, the first year of the
slick hard plastic badges replacing the paper self-laminated ones. And in a
sense, it was the golden birthday of TBOX, the 12th Year for the 12
Bars Of Christmas… although, by this time, the event was encompassing upwards
of 20 bars to hold the crowd that jumped from 3,400 in 2006 to just over 4,200
for 2007.
The Number Ones previously had
been: Lionel 2001, LA Michelle 2002, JD 2003, Kara 2004, TonyY 2005, and Teri
2006, and for the Golden TBOX, I decided to make my 3 oldest friends the
“Three-Headed Monster” Number One: Biggins, Goze, and Bill – 1A, 1B, and 1C.
So you know, Biggins and I went to high school together in Vero Beach, FL, and
when he went to college in Illinois, became fraternity brothers with Goze &
Bill – who he introduced me to when I moved to Chicago, and I became friends
with. So, it was only fitting they would get this year’s honor. And, the
Opening Ceremonies were spectacular… as the 3 #1’s knelt, the 3 interns stood
behind them, and on the mark, did a simultaneous triple 3-on-3 full-box cereal
shot for each of them, as they wore goggles. At long last, the Cereal Shot
had taken its legitimate place on the big stage.
This also was the last year (sniff!) that Fred was able to assume his place
as my loyal “Number Two”, and he went out in a blaze of glory. It was also
the first time we made and publicized our “Royal Court Montage” with the Sgt
Pepper’s Album Cover Parody Theme. Overall, it was a great time, and we
were ready for more!!
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